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Restyling can breathe new life into your home.

Everyone loves a change: not just in clothes but also in the home. Redecorating or restyling can breathe new life into your furniture and home. For example transforming your sofa instead of replacing it can
bring your lounge bang up to date without the expense of a brand new sofa. Another benefit, especially for the environmentally conscious, is that you won't be sending a sofa to landfill like you would if you
bought a new one. This article will take a look at five ways this can be done.

The first, and most important thing is to get your planning and preparation right: decide (sketch if you can) what you want the end result to be and research any materials you will need, ensure you can afford them and are happy with the amount you'll be spending, then buy the materials or contact the firm you will be using so you have everything you'll need before you start. If your sofa has a well-made frame restyling is a good alternative to a new sofa.

Once you're sure you want to restyle your sofa, there are several ways you could do it. Here are some suggestions:

1. Re-covering your sofa. If you don't have the skills to make your own, sofa and cushion covers are fairly easy to buy and come in a range of styles and budgets. Having a few covers means you can change your sofa as often as you like. Another benefit is that you can remove them and wash them easily.

2. Changing or adding cushions. This method is not only for scatter backed sofas but for all sofas, it can make a huge difference to add a colour or style using new cushions.

3. Adding or changing a throw. This can make a real difference to your sofa. A plain or patterned throw could compliment an existing style or even completely change the look of a sofa. Imagine a black leather sofa with a vibrant red throw to give it a real statement look. Throws are relatively inexpensive so you could have several and never get bored of your sofa.

4. Specialist upholstery firms. These can transform your sofa, using any of the already listed methods or more: from new sofa arms to decorative tassels, new foam, even a transformed frame, tailor made to meet your specific requirements. Using a professional firm could be costly so weigh up the benefits against the cost.

5. Change of colour. You might be happy with the shape and feel of your sofa but fancy a change of colour to match other furnishings you have modernised. Using fabric dyes, providing you have a removable cover you could dye it, or send it to a professional company to do it for you. Many such companies exist and an internet search should be able to put you in touch with some.